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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475471">(i can hide it) when i'm all dressed up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebothsandneithers/pseuds/thebothsandneithers'>thebothsandneithers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>on purpose i care about you [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff without Plot, Jaime Lannister's strong little spoon energy, Romantic Fluff, Secret Relationship, Works as a Stand Alone, can you tell how much both jaime and I love brienne???, jaime's brat mode: activated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:33:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebothsandneithers/pseuds/thebothsandneithers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was only mildly annoying that Jaime had to stand on the side of the room and watch Brienne sit for a photoshoot she wasn’t even supposed to be in and have some other guy sit on her lap.</p>
<p>Gods, he was so whipped.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>on purpose i care about you [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>(i can hide it) when i'm all dressed up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/makinggold/gifts">makinggold</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>sometimes, when you give your beta many chapters to edit at once, you can intentionally mis-label a fic and slip it to them unawares because they love braime and you love surprises.</p>
<p>this one's for you, makinggold.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was only mildly annoying that Jaime had to stand on the side of the room and watch Brienne sit for a photoshoot she wasn't even supposed to be in and have some other guy sit on her lap. He wasn't entirely sure what the photoshoot was <em>for,</em> exactly—press, commemoration, objectification—but it was clear that her inclusion was a late stage attempt at political correctness. Jaime counted eight men sitting in chairs (the only one under forty being the young Robb Stark, because he was too vibrant and handsome to ignore), each with a charming young woman sitting on their knee. Brienne was placed in the center, clearly only there to balance out the misogyny because she was so big and tall and untraditionally feminine and Jaime had to turn away before he threw his drink at someone.</p>
<p>It was fine, he knew how to do this, he knew this was the territory that came with dating someone on the sly. He couldn't take her out to his favorite places, couldn't put his hand on the small of her back at public functions, couldn't sit on her lap for a photoshoot that viewed her as a talking piece and not a real person. He probably shouldn't even have been <em>talking </em>to her at this stupid fundraiser, but it was boring and she'd looked uncomfortable standing by herself and he would actually swallow broken glass if he had to talk to another one of his family's bootlickers.</p>
<p>But here he was again, talking to a bootlicker, missing Brienne, wishing he could go stand with her.</p>
<p>Gods, he was so whipped. It had been maybe two months since they'd first met, and already he was sulking because she wasn't in a six-foot radius.</p>
<p>He nodded along with the Tarly or whoever had felt the need to come speak to him, all while casually edging to the side so he could see Brienne around the pretentious fountain that took up the middle of the floor. Jaime ran his tongue over his teeth when he saw <em>Podrick Payne</em> had been selected to sit on Brienne's knee, then made himself give the widest, shiniest smile he had, because his father had taught him better.</p>
<p>Jaime would never admit it but the truth came in three parts and they were this—he was annoyed that they hadn't asked him over as well, because first of all, he was Jaime Lannister and he would and his family <em>already had</em> paid good money to raise funds for hungry school children and this photo was obviously in support of that, so. The second was that <em>if</em> they were trying to break gender norms, wouldn't it make sense to pair Brienne with someone who <em>didn't</em> look like they were twelve and didn't make <em>her</em> look like she was some bizarre freakish woman that didn't wear skirts and couldn't fit into heels and wasn't desirable and cute like all of the other bite-sized beauties already lined up? Thirdly, he wanted very much to sit in her lap and have her wrap her arms around his waist and pull him in closer as she pressed her chin into his shoulder and everyone would see and it would be fine<em>, </em>Jaime Lannister could openly enjoy the softness of Brienne's mouth as well as the muscles in her thighs and it would be <em>fine.</em></p>
<p>He downed his champagne and turned away before something untoward showed on his face.</p>
<p>Despite everything, he couldn't stop himself from walking over after the photoshoot to tease Brienne about her burgeoning career in modeling.</p>
<p>Gods, he was so whipped.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Jaime liked the subway because no one he knew took it. He could relax, drop the need to always charm and dazzle and smile, could sit side-by-side with Brienne and hold her hand and no one would give a shit. It didn't matter that they were taller than everyone or still exquisitely dressed for a party they had snuck away from (Jaime had been quite satisfied with his crimson three piece and golden cufflinks, at least until he'd seen Brienne in her navy suit and then he'd desperately wished he'd worn blue). No one around them cared that he put his head on her shoulder, or that she spoke softly enough to make him melt.</p>
<p>Being wealthy and connected was fine and great and dandy and he wouldn't <em>stop</em> having his money and position and power, but it came with so much <em>bullshit</em> sometimes Jaime thought he might choke.</p>
<p>They left the subway together, still holding hands as they walked the couple of blocks to Brienne's apartment. She lived in the sweet side of town—successful but not ostentatious, charming but not contrived. He liked her apartment because it was very clearly decorated to make her happy, not to impress. The huge statement piece windows of her front room, for example, were filled with an assortment of plants that blocked the view inside. Anyone in his family or friend group or social circle in general would have left it empty and the room pristine, so strangers could look in and see how beautiful and cultured the people inside were. But not Brienne. She missed the lush greenery of the island she had grown up on, so she had filled her sunroom with her favorite flowers and potted plants.</p>
<p>He'd only been to her place a couple of times but he treasured every one. There wasn't the expectation of sex, which saved them a good amount of stress. Brienne had studiously ignored all of his earlier hints and preferred to go slow, which he was fine with. There was something absolutely delicious about leaving a multi-million-dollar fundraiser to go share a peanut butter and banana sandwich because these social events never served enough food.</p>
<p>Brienne hummed to herself as she made her sandwich and licked some peanut butter off her thumb. It was such a glorious contrast to her tailored navy suit and carefully done hair that he almost couldn't take it.</p>
<p>"Please tell me you do this all the time," he said, mostly to distract himself from the idea of peanut butter kisses. "You finish for the day working at the Office of Defense, then you come back and make yourself a peanut butter and banana sandwich."</p>
<p>"It's fast," she said flatly, sitting down at the table. "And not all of us can afford a private chef."</p>
<p>"No, we can't," he agreed. "My father has one, though. Too busy bullwhipping Parliament to make a bowl of cereal, I guess."</p>
<p>Brienne laughed, holding up a hand to cover her mouth. Jaime grinned at her and finished his sandwich, then went to join her at the table. Instead of taking a seat next to Brienne, he hooked his foot around her chair leg, dragged it away from the table, and sat down on her newly revealed lap. Brienne stared at him, sandwich held questioningly out to the side.</p>
<p>"Can I <em>help</em> you?"</p>
<p>"No, I'm quite fine," he said, taking a bite of food.</p>
<p>"<em>Jaime—"</em></p>
<p>"What, you seemed perfectly fine having a man on your lap earlier."</p>
<p>She gave him an unimpressed glare that didn't do much to hide her flush. "I didn't really have a <em>choice</em>, and you're much heavier than Pod."</p>
<p>"But <em>also </em>more worth it."</p>
<p>Brienne rolled her eyes and kept eating. Jaime managed to get halfway through his sandwich before kissing her.</p>
<p>She startled back, jerking her mouth away from his.</p>
<p>"I'm <em>eating</em>."</p>
<p>"Mm-hm, so am I and it's the same thing, I don't mind."</p>
<p><em>"Stop it, </em>that's disgusting," she laughed, turning her face away and holding a hand up to keep him from kissing her again. He wrapped his arms around her neck, waiting for her to swallow, tracing her jaw and the cords in her neck with his eyes.</p>
<p>She finished and looked back at him, biting down nervous giggles.</p>
<p>He smiled, tilting his head. "I'm not gonna bite you."</p>
<p>Not unless she wanted him to.</p>
<p>"Your teeth, Jaime Lannister, are not the thing I'm most concerned about."</p>
<p>"Shame," he murmured, then kissed her.</p>
<p>Brienne was always a little timid when he first kissed her, like she half expected him to stop and didn't want to be caught unawares. But then she'd lean into it, and then her hands would be on his waist, and then she'd be cradling him to her, leaving so little space he thought he could barely breathe.</p>
<p>He opened her mouth and she let his tongue in and then their kisses tasted like peanut butter and bliss, just like he knew they would. He held her face, kissing her harder, then let Brienne pull his arms away as she undid his suit jacket and slipped it off. Jaime laughed and stood up so he could straddle her properly, fingers fumbling with the buttons of her own suit jacket.</p>
<p>He was getting more drunk on the sound of her laughter than the champagne he'd had at the party, and he just kept thinking about all the time he'd lost, how much he delighted in kissing her, about how much he adored her hands on his body. Jaime traced a finger along her collarbones, then down her sternum. He pressed his hands against her breasts, thumbs caressing the cups of her bra. There was a tiny bow on the middle of her bra, he discovered, noticeable only when he touched her. Also when he looked down her blouse, which he did so cleverly while moving to kiss her neck.</p>
<p>"Wait, wait, wait a second," Brienne stammered, pushing him back again. Jaime froze, hands in the air before he realized it looked like he was trying to grope her. He pressed them against his thighs, face heating. She was blushing again, but this time it looked like embarrassment instead of interest.</p>
<p>"Right, no, sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I…right."</p>
<p>Jaime drew in a slow breath through his nose. He was lightheaded at the double punch of comfortable arousal and then panicked guilt, but if he tried to get off her lap, Brienne would probably notice the beginnings of an erection.</p>
<p>They sat in awkward silence for a moment, somehow managing to not look at each other, even though he was quite literally sitting on his lap. Damn his pride.</p>
<p>Jaime leaned back, pointing vaguely behind him. "Do you want me to…?"</p>
<p>"No, I, uh—" She cleared her throat. "I just need some water."</p>
<p>He slid off her lap anyway and went to fill a glass. He ran a hand through his hair as the tap ran, cursing himself. Things had been going so well. Only he could ruin something because he loved it too much.</p>
<p>Brienne's flush had abated by the time he handed her the glass. She nodded and took it but didn't meet his eyes. His heart skipped when their fingers touched.</p>
<p>Jaime leaned against the table, arms folded.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," she mumbled after a moment. He didn't think she'd even taken a sip.</p>
<p>"No, it was me," he said, shaking his head. "I went too fast."</p>
<p>"You just surprised me, is all."</p>
<p>He looked down at her, staring glumly into her cup. She tapped a finger on the edge, thinking loud enough that it hurt.</p>
<p>"I didn't <em>not</em> like it," she said quietly.</p>
<p>He raised his eyebrows. "That's good."</p>
<p>"I'm just not—I mean we only just—"</p>
<p>"No, right, of course."</p>
<p>People liked to think that Jaime was some sort of entitled sex fiend because he was handsome and flirty and plenty of women liked him. That wasn't really the case. He'd lost his virginity at age fifteen and had felt strange about it ever since, especially when he found out that wasn't usually how it worked for other people. So, while he absolutely would love to spend a lazy afternoon naked with Brienne on her living room floor as she ran her hands through his hair, he could respect her need to go slow. He wasn't about to rush anyone anywhere. Not about this.</p>
<p>Brienne took hold of his hand, making him look down.</p>
<p>"I don't want you to leave," she said, tugging him toward her. Jaime couldn't help but raise his eyebrows again as he considered, then eased back onto her lap. He leaned in to kiss her again, tentatively this time, pausing when she put her fingers to his lips.</p>
<p>"Not too far," Brienne told him, nailing him with those brutally blue eyes. He nodded, mouth moving against her hand, and she let it fall.</p>
<p>"Of course," he murmured, kissing her so, so softly.</p>
<p>People also liked to think Jaime was disingenuous because he was glib at best and his family had an inconsistent hold on the truth at worst. But when he believed in something, he would fight for it until the day he died.</p>
<p>It had only been two months since they had first met, but there wasn't really a question that he would fight and die for Brienne.</p>
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